5 Walking and Cycling

Thirty-five per cent of households had access to at least one bicycle for adult use in 2012. This proportion has remained stable over the last decade. [Table S3]

Bicycle access

5.1 Thirty-five per cent of households had access to at least one bicycle in 2012, continuing the trend of little change over the last decade. [Table S3] The percentage of households with access to a bicycle varied with household type with families and large adult households the most likely to have access to a bicycle (52 - 64%) and single pensioners the least likely to have access to a bicycle (6%). [Table 18a]

5.2 As household income increased so did the likelihood of the household having access to at least one bicycle. Sixty-seven per cent of households in the highest income bracket (over £40,000 per year) had access compared to 17 per cent of households in the lowest income bracket (up to £10,000 per year). [Table 18a]

5.3 Similar patterns can be seen in the deprivation and the urban/rural figures. As levels of deprivation decrease, the likelihood of a household having access to a bicycle increases and as rurality increases, the likelihood of having a bicycle also increases. [Table 18a]

Reasons for not cycling to work

5.4 The most common reasons cited for not cycling to work can be split into a number of categories. The two main reasons are physical, that it was too far to cycle (36%) and poor weather'(19%). A number of reasons were related to safety, that there were too many cars (14%), speed of traffic (12%) and inconsiderate drivers (9%). There were also reasons around practicalities, respondents did not have a bike (14%), no showers at work (8%), unable to carry luggage / shopping (9%). [Table 26]

Walking

5.5 The SHS Travel Diary showed that walking accounted for 22 per cent of journeys in 2011. The 2012 survey shows that 13.6 per cent of commutes are made on foot.

5.6 Questions relating to frequency of walking are now asked biennially in the survey. Results for 2011 can be found in Transport and Travel in Scotland 2011. An update to these figures will be included in Transport and Travel in Scotland 2013.